Elementary, My Dear Watson!

OK, Sherlock Holmes has nothing to do with this blogpost. However, I spent last weekend with a fantastic group of kindred spirits at a workshop with Pearl Red Moon! Pearl was teaching her "Ancient Icons" class, and this doll was being VERY bossy about what she was. I've decided that my series will be "The Elements" and this first one is the Water Icon.

Front view:



Back view:



Close up of the face:



Close up of her torso and those wonderful beaded hands:



Did you notice those shoes?? Aren't they AWESOME!?!?
I've never done peyote stitch before and this was done with size 15 Delicas. Pearl got me started, and I finished the first one and I did the second one ALL BY MYSELF! I think I held my breath the whole time. I had to get cheater glasses one size up from what I normally use, but the end result was SO worth it.

If you ever get the chance to take a class from Pearl - grab it. She is the QUEEN of embellishment. Annie Hesse was a very gracious hostess and treated us all like family. That reminds me - Magic, Mischief and Mayhem is coming up in September! You should sign up and come play with us!

Bad, Bad Blogger

Yes, I have not visited my blog to post more in a LONG time. But I found something fun today. Being married to a chef and having been an Import and Specialty Food Buyer in my past life, our life revolves around the delicious indulges of eatables.
I found this quiz - and this is my result.
Enjoy!

You Are Japanese Food

Strange yet delicious. Contrary to popular belief, you're not always eaten raw.

What Kind of Food Are You?

A Journaling we go...

I have a friend named Leslie that has the most amazing store! It's a home dec fabric store in Shelbyville, KY. BUT before you go and say "OH, I'm not into that", you need to know that her fabrics and her trims are second to none - even for a dollmaker.
In the back of the shop is an old bathtub where all the scraps are kept. She also has a bin with the littlest pieces in there. You can walk out with literally an armload of fabric for $10.00.

Having amassed this great collection of upholstery bits n bobs, I often wondered what to do with them. I'm wondering no more. I'm making journals!

At first, I was afraid that the fabric would be too thick - it's not!

Let me share with you my journal!

The cover:



The inside pocket:



And the back:



Isn't this awesome?

I think they will make great gifts - especially with photos and memories tucked inside.

OH - and the name of the shop in Shelbyville, KY is "Making Ends Meet". If you're ever in the area, please stop by. I can guarantee your first stop will not be your last.

Finally!

I can now share my pictures with you!

Here is the cover of the journal:


And here is a shot of the inside:


I'm also working on a sketchbook cover and a memory book cover.

This is such a cool class. Check it out at suebleiweiss.typepad.com.

Capture the Moments

I've come to realize the past few days that I don't do a very good job of journaling. My kids have pestered me to write down what little I know of our family history (I'm only second generation American, and we know very little of our ancestors past my grandparents) and there is SO much I want to capture - not only for my kids, but for myself.

I signed up to take a journal making class from Sue Bleiweiss. It's been fantastic with easy to follow instructions and Sue is very accessible and very patient with all our questions.

I wanted to share my very first journal with you! I actually made it for my daughter who is studying Japanese at Indiana University and will be headed to Nagoyo, Japan for her senior year.

Here's the cover:

OK - Blogger is being an idiot again and will not let me upload any pix. Hold that thought - I'll be back later.